Web 2.0 Tools to apply to the English Teaching!

Web 2.0 Tools to apply to the English Teaching!

This blog aims at shearing information about different tools that we, teachers of English, can use through the Web 2.0 so as to improve lessons and foster imagination and creativity of our students.

But... What is Web 2.0 about?

Web 2.0 is about different technologies interacting with and integrating each other. The use of web 2.0 technologies is paramount in determining their positive effects on foreign language education (FLE)

Social platforms such as wiki-spaces and podcasting, provide an appropriate framework for more authentic and real-life-like learning experiences than in the past. Digital Media have had a significant impact on the way foreign languages are being taught and learned.

Language has become such a fundamental part of education in the age of globalization that successful learning requires learners to be able to draw on a fully developed set of appropriate strategies and learning skills according to the type of linguistic challenge involved.

In this assignment we have learned to create:

· A wiki space: “a website on which the pages can be edited by the users, as well as the creator of the website. The users can change the content by adding or removing information or editing the existing content. One of the most powerful benefits of using wikis in language learning is as a collaborative tool.”

· A blog : “a webpage with regular diary or journal entries. [...] It can be set up and used by teachers and/or learners; it can be used to connect learners to other communities of learners; the ideas and content of the blog can be generated and created by learners, either individually or collaboratively."

The main reason why I've chosen a blog is because students, as well as the teacher can edit and share their work. As Dudeney, G., & Hockly, N. put it, by using a blog, language learning is as a collaborative tool.

References:

 -Thomas,M.(2009) Handbook of Research on Web 2.0 and Second Language Learning. Nagoya University of Commerce and Business, Japan. Herley. New York.

Dudeney, G., & Hockly, N. (2007) .How to teach english with technology. Pearson Longman.